Oscar nominations have arrived, and with them controversy, surprises, snubs, and much more. Here are my thoughts on the nominations; what they got right and what they got very wrong. 

• Lady Gaga Snub

One of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and a name that the Oscars have always loved. When Gaga was not nominated it was a massive mistake. Sure the movie she was in kinda sucked, but she was the one thing in the movie everyone agreed on was good. She had received every precursor award, and in some sense she was seen as a frontrunner. The Oscars 100% got this wrong. They should have snubbed Nicole Kidman in the Best Actress category. 

• Drive My Car in Best Picture

The Oscars got this one very much right. A foreign language film, in Best Picture, just two years after Parasite. The movie is excellent, though a little on the longer side. This nomination was 100% deserved, and it’s heartening to see the Oscars recognize a film from outside of the United States. 

• Kristen Stewart Suprise

This was such a nice surprise on the morning of Oscar nominations. Originally seen as a frontrunner in the Best Actress race, she had fallen further behind in recent weeks. Still the Oscars saw her performance as the art that it was, and decided to give it the recognition it deserves. It is likely she or Penelope Cruz took this spot from Gaga, and in some ways, I’m not mad about that. 

• The Rescue Not Nominated for Documentary

This one was super disappointing. A thrilling documentary that depicts the rescue of a youth boys soccer team from a cave in Thailand. The true saga that the documentary focuses on captivated global media, and the documentary gives some very moving and insightful context surrounding their rescue. The film was truly a triumph, and the Oscars 100% got it wrong for not nominating this. 

• The Worst Person in the World in Screenplay

Full disclosure I have not seen this film, but from the reaction of critics, it appears that this nomination was a great surprise. The film received rave reviews, and it is another non-english language film receiving recognition outside of the foreign film category. 

• Judi Dench in Supporting Actress

This was a major disappointment. A 100% snub. In my opinion, of the five lead actors in Belfast, Judi Dench was the weakest and least deserving of an Oscar nomination. She provides very little that is essential to the plot, and the fact she would receive a nomination over co-star Caitriona Balfe is unconscionable. 

• Denis Villenueve Not Nominated for Director

This one is interesting. He deserved the nomination, but it is a question of if he was more deserving than the others nominated. In my opinion, yes he was, but it appears that the Academy disagreed. I will classify this as a slight snub.